Help needed! Christmas games

[Emma24]

My job is to look after 3 little girls and their ponies. And now they are on there hols I decided tomorrow they should have a xmas games competition. Need help on as many gymkhana games people can think up?
Not all speed ones as they are on ponies from 12,1 - 14h. So need games that don't just mean the fastest pony wins, thinking games.
Any games thought up will be extremley appreciated
Thanks

 

[Brontie]

Whats the time mr wolf/ With a twist.
All riders but make it from one end of the school to the other. You must be looking away and when you turn around they must stop there horse, otherwise they're out. First one to reach you wins.

Ask them to find the (Insert Horse Body Name here) and first one to touch it wins a sweet?

 

[LynneB]

egg race

 

[Emma24]

I like, good game!

 

[junior_7178]

Haha i wanna play.

Might try and get everyone at the yard to do this.

 

[Paint it Lucky]

Egg and spoon on horseback,
Ride to top, fill a cup with water, ride back carrying the cup (trying not to spill any) then empty it into a jug, the team with the fullest jug at the end wins.
Ride up then jump off and lead pony back
Bareback races
Weaving in and out of cones
A race that involves a small jump
Ride up to get a letter, then assemble all letters at the end to make a word
Canter up walk back
Walk up canter back
Ride up jump off (have someone hold pony at top) child to sprint back to start then back up to top, jump on pony then ride back again.
Grandma's footsteps on horseback
Chase me charlie- see who can jump highest
Block elimination, start with a wide jump made of blocks, each round take away one block so jump gets narrower and narrower until only one block left, see if anyone can jump one block on it's own
Musical blocks- like musical chairs but you have to ride round then rush to stand by a block when music stops
...just a few ideas!

 

[Brontie]

Stolen off of websites.

I prefer to have this class bareback, as it is easier that way.

All of the riders start with two dollar bills (or two scraps of paper if you’re afraid of losing money). They put the bills (or paper) under their knees and against the horse, and all of the riders start out at a trot or canter (depending on their ability). The last rider with a dollar bill wins the game.

Simon Says?
Followe the leader?

Water cups (little kids) each person has a cup of water 2/3 full, and they have to ride it down to the end of the ring & then put it in a bucket, and ride back to the team where someone will refill it and you will keep going, trying to do it faster without spilling.

 

[DuckToller]

With my instructor hat on, I would add - keep it simple and safe. Get your equipment ready first, avoid getting them too wound up, and to spin things out you could get them to have a practice race at each thing first.

Games that don't need fancy equipment are useful - ie potato or sock in bucket - can use water or feed bucket.

Handy tip - put shavings or straw in the bottom so potato doesn't make a huge clunk and terrify pony or bounce back out again and terrify pony for second time!

Then use same bucket with shavings/straw for hunt the sweet.

Apple bobbing is an incredibly hard game, but you could do carrot bobbing as it's easier to grab in your teeth than an apple.

Trotting race - good for steady pony. If they canter, they must circle.

Dressing up race - ride up, put on some daft clothes, lead pony back.

I would avoid games that involve getting off and then on again at the far end - the fastest two will fly back, the slowest pony will then take off with rider half way on = splat.

You could do a handy pony course as well, where they have to do various things like put flag in cone, ride pony in and out of poles on the floor, hang piece of equipment on fence, get off and lead pony over angled pole and then remount from wrong side with help etc. Handy pony course is good in that they do it one at a time and you can do it on time and/or points for getting it right - allows for some creative accounting if you need one child to do well if they didn't do so well in the games